ANCHORING FOOD IN THE TERRITORIES 39 NEW WINNERS OF 2019-2020 CALL FOR PROJECTS

USPA NEWS - The COVID-19 health crisis has underscored the need to strengthen the resilience of our food system in all its dimensions and the importance of relocating our agriculture and food. Numerous local and citizen initiatives enabled everyone during this period to eat, through direct sales, supply to stores by local producers, or even the collaboration of local farmers with food aid associations. These actors have established networks and relationships to locally ensure sustainable, local and quality food for all. We need to build on these initiatives and support the professionals and communities who get involved.
In this context, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food wishes to strengthen the development of territorial food projects (PAT). Creation of short circuits, supply of school canteens by local producers, structuring of local sectors to bring supply closer to demand ... These projects, led by a community, an association or a collective of farmers, are built on a territory and bring together all of its stakeholders in order to promote the local anchoring of food.

On this World Food Day, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food today unveils the list of 24 new territorial food projects selected within the framework of the 2019-2020 call for projects of the National Program for 'food, as well as 15 innovative or pilot projects that can be used to spin off exemplary approaches. Among the winners: projects to supply school canteens with local and organic products, food education projects, the fight against waste, programs for access to quality food for precarious populations or still solidarity shops and local farmers' markets. The details of each project can be viewed here  THE CALL FOR PROJECTS HAD A BUDGET OF €2M THIS YEAR---------------------------------------------------------------- The call for projects had a budget of 2 million euros this year, up 400,000 euros compared to the previous edition. In addition, the territorial food projects constitute one of the flagship measures of the agricultural and food component of the recovery plan. This measure, endowed with more than 75 million euros, aims to strengthen the already existing PATs. Thus, the PATs previously selected and labeled will be able to apply for this additional aid provided for in the recovery plan. This envelope will allow them to realize their ambitions through operational investments.------------------------------------------------------------- In addition, a new call for projects from the National Food Program will be launched this fall, with an envelope tripled by appropriations from the recovery plan, in order to continue the effort to re-territorialize our food and with the objective of providing each department of a PAT by 2022.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Julien Denormandie, Minister of Agriculture and Food: "To go further in our food sovereignty, in the development of short circuits, in the reduction of food waste or in the fight against food insecurity, everywhere in our territories, we must innovate. These projects are the perfect example. Each of these projects can count on my support because it is together that we will build our food of tomorrow, even healthier, more sustainable and accessible to as many people as possible. I want to significantly strengthen territorial food projects.This is why an envelope of €80 million is dedicated to it in the recovery plan. "THE NATIONAL FOOD PROGRAM------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The national call for projects of the National Food Program follows the States General on Food and the so-called EGAlim law which introduced new orientations concerning, in particular, the supply of collective catering, the reduction of food waste and the fight against food insecurity. The 6 editions of this call for projects have supported 151 projects since its launch in 2014, for a subsidy of 6.7 million euros. Three partners are supporting this year's call for projects: the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for € 1.3 million (up € 300,000), Ademe for € 500,000 ( up € 100,000) and the Ministry of Solidarity and Health up to € 200,000. As part of the recovery plan, the National Food Program call for projects will receive a triple envelope for the emergence of new projects. Territorial food projects already labeled will be able to achieve their ambitions thanks to an envelope of more than 75 million euros. SOURCE: FRENCH MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE